Northwood GB Reviews 309

Arjan has been very helpful. Recommend.

Avoid at all costs! An awful experience in St Albans: 6 days to prep a single contract, missed the timelines I requested 10 days in advance and didn't communicate that, didn't arrange an appointment for me to collect keys to enter the flat - only for the clerk. In the end cancelled my deposit on the ground of their own incapabilities.

Such a poor service. Rude staff. Unreliable. Used them to rent out a property, they didn’t carry out proper checks, ended up with over a year of unpaid rent. Property damaged. They would not support me so had to do the whole eviction myself. They just provided a terrible service then abandoned me. Wouldn’t help me with even basic help. Then contacted me after the tenant was forcibly evicted to ask if they could have their deposit back. £13000 rent arrears and court costs and they asked me if I wanted to release the tenants deposit. Speechless. Avoid if you can

My experience with this agency has been very disappointing and similar to what others have mentioned in negative reviews. If I could give zero stars, I would.

If you come across their property listings on Zoopla or anywhere else, I strongly advise avoiding them. They collect your personal information, waste your time, and provide no positive outcome.

Their customer service is among the worst I’ve ever experienced — unresponsive and unhelpful. I wouldn’t recommend dealing with them to anyone.

AVOID BOLTON NORTHWOOD AT ALL COSTS!! As a landlord I would NEVER EVER recommend Northwood. They are the biggest conartists going. You accept a feeble rent every month that doesn't even cover the mortgage, to have a guaranteed rent agreement and when THEIR tenants move OUT and leave the property in a poor state, they say the property isn't in a good enough state to re rent and you don't get your rent!! I can imagine they kept the deposit from the tenants through and I get diddly squat!!

They have failed on every level. Their communication is non existent, no one ever passes any info on to colleagues, their contractors work is unbelievably poor and not fit for purpose (however, I've heard that they often don't pay them so you can imagine why they do such a poor service but this hurts the landlord not Northwood unfortunately), they try and scam you with ramdom bills that aren't for you, honestly the list goes on....

Their guaranteed rent agreement is not fit for purpose, you loose out on hundreds of pounds per month yet don't get the rent when the property is empty. They are out and out thieves!! Becky the manager of Bolton hasn't got a clue what's going on in her business and doesn't care, all they think about is money!!

I viewed two properties advertised by Northwood recently and the agent, Emma Reid was absolutely amazing in booking the viewing, reminding the appointment & showing me around the property. She is extremely friendly, professional & passionate about getting the best suitable accommodation to the clients. Thank you so much Emma!

We recently viewed a property and absolutely loved it, but what truly made the experience exceptional was the outstanding service provided by Courtney Burden. From the moment we arrived, Courtney was welcoming, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable. She took the time to answer all our questions, provided detailed information about the property, and made the entire process smooth and enjoyable. Her genuine enthusiasm and care for her clients really stood out, and we left feeling confident and excited about our next steps. We can’t thank her enough for such a positive experience and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a property! Many thanks to Courtney Burden for making this a viewing to remember.

They are happy to move you into a flat, with faulty lights, multiple leaking ceilings and walls, broken window handles, insanely loud air fans and much worse. They don't care if the flats even been cleaned... I found toothbrushes, soap, razor blades and enough hairs to knit a new man, all from the last person that lived here... Disgusting.

Furthermore, the communication from the team is horrendous! They pass problems amongst they're own team to avoid any responsibility for sorting it. Can't book a engineer or tell you when its booked for when they have, until he's outside your door while your at work. Its an absolute joke, a bad one too.

They don't care as long as you pay your money, and ignore the extra suspicious invoices they send you, that they cannot provide a reason for sending me, after 2 weeks of inquiry about it.

Really regret trusting these people and I presume the company cares even less.

I gave a set of keys to this estate agent a while ago to market the property, through no fault of their own this was blocked over and over again. When I went to collect the key they could not locate then, then said I had already collected them (but could not provide evidence I had signed them out, eventually saying they had no evidence of ever receiving them)!

WORST EXPERIENCE I HAD EVER. I TRIED TO VIEW A PROPERTY FOR SALE THROUGH THIS AGENCY STAFF ANDRIYA. SHE IS VERY RUDE & CRUEL. SHE IS THINKING THAT SHE IS DONATING & DOING A CHARITY TO THE HOUSE BUYERS.
PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME, ENERGY & MONEY. BETTER TO AVOID THIS ESTATE AGENT. THESE PEOPLE ARE SCAMS.

I would give Northwood one star if I could, they are absolutely diabolical, steer well clear.

Me and my partner rented an apartment with Northwood Bolton for 6 months (February-August 2025). Living there was fantastic but dealing with this company was a nightmare.

When we moved into the property all was well aside from the cupboards, drawers and cabinets being dirty but I didn’t mind as much as I was going to give it a deep clean anyway. There were things in the kitchen belonging to old tenants and we even found some items of clothing in the bedroom drawers, so had not been cleaned prior to our moving in (this will be important later).

A lightbulb in one of the bathrooms wasn’t working and we were told on the day we moved in that they had arranged for someone to come and change it for us within the next week as the ceilings are high, this did not come to fruition, no one ever came to fix it.

Around 4 months into our tenancy we received a notice that there would be an inspection. We got this in less than 24 hours notice. I had asked to reschedule as I work from home and needed more notice, but was told they couldn’t reschedule. I said that’s fine. The day came and went and the inspection didn’t go ahead, no one showed up. I emailed Northwood to ask about this and never received a response.

We had an inspection a few weeks later and all was well, no faults whatsoever and they thanked me for keeping the property in such good condition.

Coming towards the end of the tenancy is when things began to go even more south. I sent in my notice that I was leaving at the end of the 6 months and didn’t get a response once again, I asked them for advice on what to do next but got nothing back, had to call twice before someone spoke to me and apparently the person who deals with the emails was on annual leave? So they have no one covering this in their absence.

Upon leaving I deep cleaned the property from top to bottom. It was left in much better condition than it was when I arrived (this was the case throughout my entire tenancy if I’m honest). Disposed of the things that were left by previous tenants of my own accord as again this hadn’t been done prior to my moving in.

I failed to mention at the beginning of my review that a couple of the skirting boards and cupboard door handles were broken when I moved in, we fixed these so these were fixed when we left.

Dropped the keys off and sent them an email to let them know it was vacant. I then asked them to please let me know when they were going to be conducting the check out inspection so that one of us could be present. They agreed (took them two days to get back to me) and said they would.

They never told us when it was being conducted and it went ahead without our knowledge. The next correspondence I received from them was my check out report and an email to tell me that they were looking into quotes and then I’d hear back about my deposit.

On the report they blatantly lied about the condition of the property. They stated that the plug sockets, skirting boards, surfaces and light switches “could’ve done with a wipe down” - literal quote from them on the report. They stated that there was damage to the property and worst of all they actually blamed us for the bathroom lightbulb which was broken when we arrived, and that they actually pointed out to us. This was both laughable and infuriating.

I emailed back to voice my disagreement with them and they said they would look into it and get back to me. This took two weeks and countless emails and phone calls. Ultimately they have deducted around £350 from our deposit and listed it as a cleaning fee, conveniently leaving out the supposed damage and broken items as they didn’t have a leg to stand on. If it wasn’t so painstakingly difficult to speak to these morons I would dispute this further but I’ve just accepted this now as thankfully it doesn’t affect us too much but I can imagine there are people who really can’t afford to lose out on this much money especially for something they have not done.

I wish I’d have read the reviews before renting with them and definitely will in future. Please please please avoid this company at all costs. I have no idea how they are still able to operate when they have done this to so many people. Please read reviews before going ahead, this goes for renters and landlords!! They are awful.

Customer service experience, 0. I have been applying for a house they did not even give me back the answer yet. Lol.Months passed and I already rented another flat somewhere else luckily.

Northwood UK (Benton) inc Bowes Mitchell
Working with Northwood UK inc Bowes Mitchell, particularly Clare and her Benton team, has been a breath of fresh air in what can usually be a nerve-wracking process. From valuation to viewings, everything was handled with skill, speed, and a reassuring sense of professionalism.

Communication
Their communication is first class — quick responses, clear updates, and excellent follow-up. At no point was there a sense of being left in the dark, which in estate agency terms is about as rare as finding a unicorn with a clipboard.

Valuation
The valuation provided was fair and realistic, reflecting not only the property’s true value but also its potential. There were no inflated promises, just sound advice backed by genuine local knowledge.

Marketing & Viewings
Marketing and viewings were managed superbly. Professional photography and online advertising gave the property the showcase it deserved, while Clare’s team took complete responsibility for scheduling and managing viewings, removing stress from the process.

Value for Money
The service more than justified the fees. The combination of professional delivery, local insight, and buyer understanding provided excellent value for money.

Client Care
Clare and the Benton team demonstrated deep knowledge of their area, which was evident in every interaction. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and clients were made to feel valued rather than just another listing.

Conclusion
Northwood UK inc Bowes Mitchell sets a high standard for estate agency services. With professionalism, transparency, and genuine care at the heart of their approach, they make the moving process smoother and more enjoyable. Highly recommended.

I had a tenant who did not leave after Northwood had served them with a section 21 notice to leave. Nothwood in Worcester were really helpful to resolve this potentially difficult situation. In particular Anthony Arnold the Worcester branch manager who was proactive and always available.

I would advise anyone attempting to use this company to steer clear.
My dad was in one of their flats but unfortunately he died unexpectedly in May.
I called Northwood UK to let them know and was greeted not by a “oh I’m sorry to hear that” or and sort of commiseration, no they went straight for the wallet.
First thing she said was “does he have a will?” I said no and she replied “well then we won’t be able to return your deposit.” She then asked for my details and as she was taking down my email address I told her she’d made a mistake and reiterated the correct spelling to which I just got a grunted “yes” as though she had done it correctly (clearly she hadn’t because I never received the emails she claimed she sent).
This conversation alone let me know what I was to expect from this vile company.
It took me about two weeks to clear all his stuff from the flat and clean everything up ready to return the keys, the flat was absolutely immaculate when I left for the final time.
I went immediately from the flat to their office and was “greeted” and I use that word very loosely, by the same person I spoke to on the phone, I told her why I was there and she said “we need a letter from a solicitor to say we can end the tenancy” REALLY! You don’t think him being dead is enough to know he doesn’t need the property any more? You think we want to bury him there and carry on paying excessive rent on a shabby, run-down, ramshackle of a flat, it’s freezing cold in there even in summer, the tap and shower don’t work properly, despite several attempts to get the repairs done and the front door of the flat was more like and interior door than a proper secure front door, and his rent for a one bedroom flat was £150pm higher than I was paying for a three storey, three bedroom house! Ridiculous.I just put the keys down on the desk and walked out, I’m not continuing to pay rent for an empty property of a dead man, how pathetic are this company?
After I left I immediately contacted the deposit scheme that held his deposit and explained the situation to them, they asked me to provide probate, which I did and I received an email from them saying that Northwood uk had claimed against the deposit but as I had opened a dispute they hadn’t granted them the money. The claim was for rent arrears, which of course he owed so I agreed to that, £229 for property damage, lies, there was no damage, and £1975 for redecorating, A ONE BEDROOM FLAT! Don’t be ridiculous! (Must of hired Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen! Or just nobody and they lied is more like it.) So I refused to pay them and opted for the dispute resolution.
luckily for me, after the initial phone call with moron the first, I knew what to expect, so after I was finished in the flat I took multiple photos of each room. Doors, corners, walls, windows, then again with the curtains closed and lights on, in the kitchen I took photos of all cupboards and drawers inside and out, floors, walls, the bathroom I took multiple pictures of the toilet, bath, shower, sink, all surrounding areas, and all along the hallway. I then recorded each room in full as I made my way out of the property and locked the door for the final time. I ordered a taxi directly to the offices and kept a receipt.
They are absolutely the most vile, disgusting and repulsive company I’ve ever had the misfortune to deal with. They tell their landlords “ we will guarantee your rent even when the property is empty” do these people know that they fund this with lies and theft and digging their hands into dead people’s pockets, dirty little grave robbers.

Absolutely appalling experience with Chris at the PETERBOROUGH BRANCH! The way he spoke to me was nothing short of rude, condescending, and utterly disrespectful. He acted as if I had learning difficulties simply for asking a question — completely uncalled for and deeply insulting. His tone was arrogant and dismissive, like someone who’s never had a respectful conversation with a woman in his life. If you’re looking for professionalism, patience, or even basic human decency, steer well clear of him.

Northwood agency Southend branch was very proactive in terms of finding tenants for us. Their service is extremely good and recommended. The staff especially Brian is very approachable and efficient in terms of property management.

LEEDS! Wow! Unbelievable!

I've clearly just dodged a bullet.

Started bad, got worse and I'm a buyer & a landlord of many years with a good reputation and an excellent agent who manages my properties really well.

I'm totally shocked at these reviews especially from tenants. Northwood are seriously appalling!!

Northwood had a property for sale and I viewed it OK and had my offer accepted. The tenants were wanting to stay and had 100% record of paying their rent so I was happy to consider agreeing a new contract with them in situ.

Karen from the start was ringing alarm bells of discomfort. She said my driving licence would not satisfy foto ID rules. When I referred her to Northwoods list of acceptable ID she had to check with colleagues then came back & agreed with me. BAD START!

I explained I would be getting a RICS survey once I received my mortgage offer which was received very quickly.

Karen kept trying to bully me to start the legal process knowing I had already given her my Solicitor's details & was waiting for the contract to arrive.

Karen, vendor (I assume) and my Solicitor know this is just due diligence. No - Karen told me this was not 'normal' and the vendor wouldn't want to wait.

The tenants gave notice so I was happy to go for vacant possession. No - Karen said the vendor didn't want any rent voids?? Karen was pushing me to take over the tenancy asap on completion.

The survey threw up high damp readings and other problems. A summary of the report was not enough for Karen to forward to the vendor and tried again to bully me to provide the detailed report.

I carefully re-considered my own position.

I expressed my willingness to continue if we could agree a reduced purchase price so I could addres the damp etc, fully refurb the property and ensure a safer rental. I said I would share the survey with the vendor to work things out

The tenant had now wanted to extend their tenancy as their toddler was now unwell. I said I could wait to complete until they were ready to leave & secure vacant possession.

Karen seemed livid in her email response. She said the vendor would not consider a price negotiation nor vacant possession. If I did not agree to my original offer the property would go back on the market.

So I withdrew my offer and notified my Solicitor.

I had already decided I would not contract with Northwood to manage this rental. The ID debacle rang bells.
My existing agents were more than happy to have this rental if and when I was ready.

I experienced a massive sense of immediate relief to be rid of Karen's ridiculous emails & rid of Northwood.

Yes. I think I really dodged a bullet!!

There really are excellent landlords and excellent managing agents but not Northwood. I have no idea if the vendor even knows of Karen's bullying behaviour that lost him his sale.

Anyway. No longer my problem.

Northwood manipulates reports, ignores evidence, and treats tenants like criminals at checkout — even when the property is left in better condition. Completely untrustworthy. Would never rent from them again.

Avoid Northwood Sandbach & Crewe – Extremely Disappointing Experience

I want to warn others against renting or buying through Northwood Sandbach & Crewe. I wish I had read the Trustpilot reviews before we rented a property through them.

After moving in, we were shocked to see a For Sale sign outside the house just a month later. We assumed it was a mistake, but when we asked, the agency told us the landlord intended to sell the house with tenants still living there. We were not informed of this beforehand.

To make things worse, the agency started bringing viewers into the property frequently, trying to sell it as soon as possible—while we were still living there. This was already stressful, but things quickly got worse.

The boiler stopped working, leaving us without heating or hot water for two weeks in freezing winter weather. The landlord ignored the issue, and the house began to smell of mould, with mould visibly growing on the walls. When we contacted the agency for help, they simply replied by email: “Deal with the landlord — not our problem.”

Eventually the boiler was fixed, but the problems didn’t stop:
• The kitchen tap was leaking constantly
• The bathroom sink was blocked
• Drainage was broken
• Mould kept spreading across the house

After just five months, we had no choice but to move out. Despite everything, the agency deducted £360 from our deposit for three picture hook holes, and £125 for a garden bed where I had planted wildflowers—for bees!

This entire experience was unacceptable. The property was poorly maintained, the agency was dismissive and unhelpful, and their final charges were completely unfair. I strongly recommend avoiding Northwood Sandbach & Crewe.